Autobiography of Mother Jones

This little book would be the equivalent of a documentary filmed in the 1930s. It does not have much value from the literary perspective -- nor do I think that it intended to have it. The technique is rather simple, and the memories may sound often self-congratulatory and self-aggrandizing. However, its value is in its first-hand documentation of a very difficult period for mining workers in the USA, and the fears and challenges of common people at the time. Mother Jones must have been an impressive lady.

What a fascinating woman! Here is a woman who, well into her senior years, was actively organizing labor strikes for the poorest of workers. In and out of jail. At personal risk to her safety. She was, for all intents and purposes, absolutely fearless.She does not mince words. The horrors of child labor in particular are described in meticulous detail. Some passages are difficult to read, as she recalls children permanently disfigured or disabled by work in the mills or coal mines.Her fierce spirit and determination shine through the pages of this autobiography. I have taken one of my favorite quotes of hers and claimed it as my own mantra: "I'm not a humanitarian, I'm a hell-raiser!" Definitely recommended for people who are human rights activists.

This was a short book for a woman who had so much life to tell about. Only 3 pages are devoted to her early years. She doesn't even mention her husband's name. She has a sentence or two about her dad, Richard Harris.Her life, in her opinion, was clearly as a union activist. The book is a compilation of all the strikes she was active in. She was undoubtedly a daring and brave woman. Most interesting is how she managed to organize the women and children of the workers in such unique and adventuresome ways. She lived through a time when America was horrid for working people. She was a bright light for this country along with many other courageous and persecuted labor reformer types.Thus far in my research of the Labor Movement of the United States, she is only the second to mention Governor Hunt of Arizona and his unique methods for dealing with labor strikes in his state. Philip Foner was the other. Foner gives more detail of the Governor and the strike.Mother Jones is another "bigger than life character" in American history. This book is a quick read for anyone interested in past labor problems in America but it gives more insight into the labor movement and certain strikes and others involved than into the life of Mother Jones.Richard Edward Noble - The Hobo Philosopher - Author of:America On Strike - Labor History

Felt it was a little like propaganda. We read it in my book club, and we all had issues with parts that seemed glossed over or untruthful. Interesting history lesson though, especially today. I liked that she organized workers to stand up for their own rights, rather than waiting for the union boss or someone else to take care of them. Good lesson for us all.

Much of what Mother Jones wrote about still continues to this day. Working people are still oppressed, they just don't realize it. They are pacified with the belief that they are just temporarily embarrassed millionaires. We need mother today is much as they did 100 years ago.This is an excellent book, and easy read. I thoroughly enjoyed the book recommend it to anyone.

I purchased this as a gift for a friend. She and her husband found it to be an extremely well written book and enjoyed it tremendously. They said even though parts of it were hard for them to get through, because they'd lived, as children, in the coal town part of Pittsburgh during the 1930's and their parents at the turn of the century, it was enlightening and historical. She was a brave, fascinating, persevering, intelligent woman who fought for women and children's well being and rights. Women and children today owe her a wealth of gratitude. An excellent book that should be read by all young people today.

Although Mother Jones, the story teller, tends to exaggerate, it's a good story. We forget how badly the coal miner and mill workers were treated, as though they were slaves. She was also a strong advocate for children, pushing for child labor laws. A remarkable woman.

One hundred years ago, Mother Jones was called in Congress "the most dangerous woman in America". We can thank her for America's child labor laws and worker protections like weekends, less than 12 hour work days and the right to organize. Mother Jones, an immigrant from Ireland, became a labor organizer when she was 50 in the coal fields and factories across America. She didn't stop to write this book until her 80s. It covers many of her campaigns and arrests, including her Childrens' Crusade. She was known to be plain spoken and that is how she tells her remarkable story of walking into strike areas where coal miners were being murdered in cold blood by militias hired by the "bosses." Wearing a black Victorian gown and a black hat, she often walked 8 - 10 miles to talk for hours to miners and their families. She met with them in fields and forests when company owned buildings were denied for meetings. She was arrested many times, threatened by armed thugs and law enforcement. She was recognized wherever she went and was the only hope for starving coal families. She wouldn't back down and she wouldn't shut up in her fight for justice. She loved the Constitution and her working "boys" and families.Mother Jones can give hope to anyone who feels powerless in America because her story shows how a person who has lost everything can make such a big difference in the lives of many people. And she did it most of it before women had the vote. You can feel Mother Jones' grit, courage and love in this book.

"Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living"This a famous quote from the American activist Mary Harris Jones aka Mother Jones [1837 - 1930]Her autobiography is essentially a record of her work as "The Miners' Angel" when she roamed the country in support of organised labour - not just the mines but anywhere she felt she was needed. She "lived in her shoes" and never had a home for a large part of her life. Around the end of the 19th century Mary Harris Jones became known as Mother Jones.A significant event in the life of Mother Jones was the march she made with the children of the silk mills - when - as a brilliant publicist - she raised awareness of the working conditions of children.I am a songwriter and used this autobiography as source material to write a song about Mother Jones. Many songs and poems have been written about Mother Jones - including Gene Autry - the cowboy star. You can check all this work out on YouTube - try it - is is interesting.My song is called 'Mother Jones - No More Deaths For Dollars'.Ed Pickford

A fantastic Primary History resource. Excellent quality and arrived quickly

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